MAPUSA
Despite the Covid scare, Calangute panchayat was involved in micro-planning in a bid to revive agriculture, scale up production and encourage people to get into farming in the village.
The panchayat along with the local MLA launched its annual activity of distributing free seeds, manure and tractor service to locals.
In order to increase the production, the panchayat this year has bought a new tractor so that maximum people can take advantage and use the machine to plough their fields.
“We want all the fields in the village to become green. We don’t want people to construct in the fields. We also want people to grow vegetables and fruits in their backyard,” said Michael Lobo, Ports Minister and local MLA.
The Ports Minister was addressing the villagers after inaugurating a free seed distribution and organic manure programme in the village as part of the ‘Calangute Growing Green’ initiative of the panchayat.
Continuing, Lobo said due to overwhelming response from the public last year, Calangute panchayat has decided to increase the support to people this year.
“We have bought a new tractor which will supplement the effort to produce more. We have to try and reduce using chemical fertilizers and therefore this year we are distributing organic manure,” he said.
He said farming and fishing was the traditional occupation of the villagers in Calangute before tourism took over in late ‘70s.
“We want more people to restart farming by utilizing the land that has been lying fallow. The panchayat will support the people in every way. This time all the small nullahs have been cleaned so that rain water does not make its way into the fields and farmers don’t face problems,” Lobo said.
Calangute Sarpanch, Shawn Martins informed that the ‘Calangute Growing Green’ initiative received a tremendous response last year and therefore this year the panchayat decided to increase the farming output.
“Along with the seeds, tractor service will also be provided free. We have chalked out a ward-wise timetable to ensure that everyone gets the tractor. The farmers concerned must contact the local panchayat members,” Martins said.
Calangute ZP member, Dataprasad Dhabolkar and ex-sarpanch and panchayat member, Anthony Menezes also spoke.
